


Little Snakes

by peachcakeee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Harry Potter, Friendship, Gen, Harry Potter Epilogue Compliant, Next Generation, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Professor Harry, Protective Scorpius, Sorting, The Sorting Hat, first year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:41:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachcakeee/pseuds/peachcakeee
Summary: Albus and Scorpius become fast friends and enjoy their train ride to Hogwarts together. They then get sorted. Includes teacher!Harry and teacher!Neville.
Kudos: 15





	Little Snakes

**Author's Note:**

> This is epilogue compliant as far as I’m concerned; JKR never mentioned Harry’s career in the book so I took what he was best at - teaching- and included that here. I’ve included some of the cousins but their ages aren’t mentioned really.

“Mind if I sit with you? Other compartments are full and you look interesting,” the tall blonde boy looked vaguely familiar to Al but it was his statement that caught him off guard.

“Oh, sure, here let me help you with your trunk and your owl,” said Al and he and the other boy were soon dragging and lifting the sleek leather-embossed trunk into the luggage rack so that the initials SHM lined up neatly with the trunk next to it; ASP. “I’m Al,” he offered as both boys sat down breathing hard from the effort of moving luggage and a handsome eagle owl into the racks. 

“I’m Scorpius, Scorpius Malfoy,” drawled the taller of the two, pushing blonde hair out of his grey eyes. Al felt his heartbeat quicken. _A Malfoy_? He had heard stories about Malfoy from his father’s own days at school, but his mother’s voice and remonstrations about never judging anyone before you got to know them floated to the top of his mind. He realized he’d been silently staring at the boy (who really was quite good looking) and he cast around wildly for something to talk about. 

“What House do you think you’ll be in?” 

For the first time, Scorpius’ face split into a smile and Al was relieved to see the friendly difference it made. Al had been nervous about the cool edge the other boy portrayed. “Slytherin I expect, my whole family has been the lot of them for ages. What about you?” He seemed genuinely interested, Al thought.

“I’m not sure.... my whole family were Gryffindor but I bet I’ll be stuck in Hufflepuff or sorted into Slytherin...” _at least I wouldn’t be alone if I was sorted into Slytherin_ , he thought.

“At least you already have a friend if you get sorted Slytherin,” said Scorpius with another grin, who seemed to be thinking along the same lines. Al felt his face split into the first genuine smile he had smiled since leaving home that morning. 

As the train zoomed out into wilder and wilder country, they found themselves speaking as if they’d known each other for ages. They both bought a substantial amount of candy from the food trolley and as they talked, Al found it was quite as easy as talking to his sister whom he was close with and already missed very much. 

James poked his head in after a while- to check on Al under their mother’s orders, Al was sure- but Al was quite pleased to tell him to _go away, my friend and I are in the middle of talking thankyouverymuch_ and when James did not immediately withdraw, several leftover pumpkin pasties hit him in the face, aimed by both boys who were laughing now. James left, scowling and wiping pumpkin creme from his glasses. 

Eventually the lamps were lit and both of them changed into their black robes. “These will take a while to get used to,” said Al, pulling his arm through a sleeve “I’ve only worn Muggle clothes up until now.” He thought of home and his mother’s constant war against five people’s worth of laundry and his heart panged at him. As excited as he was for Hogwarts, he was very homesick. He missed Scorpius’ reply as the train pulled into a comfortable looking station and they came to a stop. As an entire train’s worth of students thronged onto the platform, there came a booming voice;

“Firs’ years over ‘ere, firs’ years over ‘ere! Leave your luggage. Firs’ years!” and the enormous outline of Hagrid appeared-

“Woah!” Scorpius exclaimed as they were shunted along “who is that?!” The first years split off from the rest of the student body, who seemed to be headed toward a hundred horseless carriages waiting in the dark. 

“that’s Hagrid!” exclaimed Al, excited to finally know something, “he’s the gamekeeper!” 

There was a collective murmuring as Hagrid led them around a bend and they were led to the edge of the Black Lake, where many boats were waiting for them. 

“Right then, no more ‘n four to a boat!” Everybody scrambled into one, trying not to drench their socks on the shoreline. Scorpius had to give Al a leg up and gave the boy who was sharing their boat a scorching look for snickering about it. 

“Everybody in? All right then? Forward!” shouted Hagrid from the biggest boat from the very front. 

They sailed off into the night and under many willow trees, where there were sudden gasps and “oohs” from everyone as the castle bloomed suddenly out of the darkness. 

After making their way out of the boats a familiar voice greeted them all- making Al groan and Scorpius crane his neck (although not very much, as Scorpius was easily the tallest of the new first years) to see who it could be. “Welcome, welcome everyone. Thanks Hagrid I can take them from here,” said the voice which reached even the boys at the back of the large group. Scorpius seemed to do a double take and then goggled at Albus. 

“I am Professor Potter,” (there was renewed muttering at this, but the Professor just smiled serenely) “and you are about to be sorted into your Houses. Follow me this way,” they obediently followed him into an antechamber as he continued “while at Hogwarts, your Houses will be like your families. You’ll eat with them in the Great Hall, sleep in your House dormitories and any rule breaking will lose you points, while you also have the opportunity to gain points as well. I have to leave you for a moment but I’ll be right back.” 

“You didn’t say your dad was a teacher!” Scorpius hissed while Albus was flattening his hair.

“I was hoping to avoid it for as long as possible,” muttered Al, “He’s head of Gryffindor House and he loves this school so effing much-“ 

“Please follow me,” Professor Potter announced, who had reappeared in the doorway and everyone began to file out .

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” said Albus to no one in particular as he and Scorpius brought up the rear of the line. Scorpius gave Albus’ hand a squeeze but then quickly released it as the line of first years of filed into the Great Hall and in front of the head table. Al recognized his uncle Neville -with a sigh, he supposed he’d have to start calling him Professor Longbottom- wearing earth brown robes and talking to the witch that must be Professor McGonagall. 

The Sorting Hat on its stool opened its wide rip near its brim like a mouth and broke into song. It described the qualities of the Houses but also the importance of House unity and friendship. Al wasn’t paying attention. He could hear Scorpius’ stomach grumbling next to him and was trying to avoid catching his dad’s eye. He caught a glimpse of his cousin Rose at the Ravenclaw table, her red bushy hair standing out amongst the other students. He glanced at the Gryffindor table and saw his brother holding court with his cousins Fred and Louis. Suddenly his father had stopping trying to catch his eye and instead was reading names from a long piece of parchment. 

Al wondered what would happen if he got on the stool and the hat said there had been a mistake. _Well_ , thought Al resolutely, _then I’d get to go home to my mother and sister._

“Malfoy, Scorpius,” was called, and the lanky form of Scorpius could be seen making his way to the stool.

The hat screamed “SLYTHERIN” as it barely touched his sleek blond head. Al let out a little groan, convinced he was going to be stuck in Gryffindor with his overbearing, bullying brother and no friends. 

“Montague, Ian,”, “Nott, Padraig” and “Parkinson, Yarrow” also became Slytherins before Al’s name was called. The hat was so large and Al was so small it settled right onto his shoulders. 

_Please put me into Slytherin,_ Al thought desperately, _it’s the only place I’ve got a friend and I know dad said I could be asked to be put into Gryffindor but I don’t want to be with James, to be in James’ shadow, please not Gryffindor I’ll be all alone and James will make fun of me all the time and treat me like i’m an invalid just because I’m small and have allergies-_

_Are you sure?_ Came a small and clever voice from the Hat. _You could do great in Gryffindor you know, plenty of bravery in here, but your mind is great and full of cunning. If you really want it, better be-_

“SLYTHERIN!” the hat yelled and Al sighed with relief, removed the hat and scurried to the Slytherin table, where Scorpius was making a spot for him and applauding with enthusiasm. Two dozen more people were sorted and Professor McGonagall stood, the Hall immediately falling silent. 

She stood before them, her dark hair streaked liberally with silver and square spectacles glinting in the candle light. “There is a time for speech making, but now is not that moment. Please enjoy your feast,” there was an appreciative laughter from the students as their tables were suddenly groaning under dishes and dishes of magnificent food.

Scorpius gave a groan and began pulling everything within reach to himself. Al loaded his plate with steak and potatoes and also began to eat, his hunger suddenly returning voraciously along with his relief. 

“‘Ou made ‘lytherin!” Scorpius managed with his mouth full. 

“My family won’t be too happy, and I cannot believe someone with your upbringing is talking with his mouth full,” said Al around his own mouthful of potato. 

Scorpius swallowed, flushing. “I was hungry! But you’re right, Father would be appalled at my table manners. I’m so excited we’re both in Slytherin. Do you really think your parents will be unhappy?” Al glanced at the head table as Scorpius was saying this, and finally caught his father’s eye. The elder Potter caught sight of Al’s own smile and grinned and lifted his goblet, and then went back to listening to the tiny Professor on his left. 

“No, I don’t think they will be actually. My uncles are gonna take the mickey the next time they see me though. I can’t wait to see our dormitories! I’m so tired-“ this was interrupted by a small commotion several seats along as Yarrow Parkinson was saying loudly to Ian Montague

“I do NOT look like a pug! I can’t help it if I have my mother’s nose! At least I also have her hair,” and Montague was laughing and so was Nott and several other surrounding people. 

After pudding- several helpings of treacle tart in Albus’ case- McGonagall was standing and making a speech, about a blanket ban about anything from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes and how the forest was out of bounds and no magic in the corridors between classes and suddenly there was a great scraping of benches as she had just dismissed the entire school and the prefects were beckoning them and they all were trying hard not to lead the group but eventually Padraig and Ian stomped forward with Yarrow in their midst and once again Scorpius and Albus were left to bring up the rear. 

At the blank stretch of wall near the dungeons, the prefects gave them the password (“mermish”) and pointed them toward their dormitory. There was a heavy oak door bearing a small plaque that read “First Years” and Padraig pushed it open. The wall to their left was just a tall wall of curved glass; looking out into the lake and this lit the dormitory with an unearthly green glow. It gave the strange impression of being in a giant goldfish bowl. To their right was a large enchanted window which showed the weather outside; it was currently pitch black and dotted with stars. In between these two walls was their four poster beds, draped in green quilts and silver hangings, looking wonderfully warm and inviting. Scorpius closed the curtains on the lake-window and candles sprang to life. Albus crawled into the bed with his trunk at the foot of it and Scorpius into the bed next to Al’s- they faced each other.

“Was it really as bad as you thought it was going to be?” Scorpius asked in a low voice as the other boys bustled around hanging up photographs and getting themselves water. 

“No,” yawned Albus, but we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”


End file.
